Corey Kluber vs Tarik Skubal: Career Stats Comparison
Corey Kluber has the better career line of the two, leading 8 of the 12 scored categories on this page (4 further counting totals are shown but not scored). Corey Kluber played 2011–2023 as a pitcher; Tarik Skubal has played 2020–present as a pitcher.
- ERA (Earned Run Average):
- Earned runs allowed per nine innings pitched: (ER × 9) ÷ IP. The primary measure of pitching effectiveness.
- W (Wins):
- Games credited to a pitcher whose team took a lead it never surrendered while he was the pitcher of record.
- SO (Strikeouts):
- For a batter, times retired on a third strike; for a pitcher, batters retired on a third strike.
- WHIP (Walks and Hits per Inning Pitched):
- Baserunners allowed per inning: (BB + H) ÷ IP. Under 1.00 is elite.
Data updated
Corey Kluber (2011–2023) and Tarik Skubal (2020–present) — breaking in during the 2010s and the 2020s respectively, so they pitched against very different hitting environments. Corey Kluber finished with 116 wins and 1,725 strikeouts; Tarik Skubal has 66 wins and 1,075 strikeouts through October 12, 2026. The numbers below run them through identical career and rate-stat lenses.
Quick answer
- Who had the better ERA? Tarik Skubal, with 3.02 to Corey Kluber's 3.44.
- Who won more games? Corey Kluber, with 116 to Tarik Skubal's 66.
- Who recorded more strikeouts? Corey Kluber, with 1,725 to Tarik Skubal's 1,075.
- Who had the better WHIP? Tarik Skubal, with 1.01 to Corey Kluber's 1.13.
- Who pitched more innings? Corey Kluber, with 1,641.2 to Tarik Skubal's 925.1.
- Who threw more shutouts? Corey Kluber, with 8 to Tarik Skubal's 1.
- Who has the higher career Pitcher PIV? Corey Kluber, with 36,049 career Pitcher PIV to Tarik Skubal's 20,288.
Corey Kluber
Tarik Skubal
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate. Cells highlighted in green mark the player who leads that line. Lower ERA, WHIP and BB/9 lead; higher K/9 leads. 12 of the 16 lines below are scored; the other 4 are counting totals on which fewer is not an achievement, so no one is awarded them. Totals where fewer is not an achievement -- losses, walks and hits allowed -- are left unmarked, because they track how long someone pitched rather than how well. Rate stats are not era-adjusted, and the 2010s and the 2020s were different run environments, so read them against their eras, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
Tarik Skubal is still active — his totals below are current through October 12, 2026.
| Statistic | Corey Kluber | Tarik Skubal |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | Leads: 116 | 66 |
| Losses not scored | 77 | 44 |
| Games | Leads: 271 | 163 |
| Games Started | Leads: 260 | 160 |
| Complete Games | Leads: 18 | 1 |
| Shutouts | Leads: 8 | 1 |
| Saves | Leads: 1 | 0 |
| Strikeouts | Leads: 1,725 | 1,075 |
| Walks not scored | 368 | 199 |
| Hits Allowed not scored | 1,486 | 740 |
| Home Runs Allowed not scored | 177 | 104 |
| Innings Pitched | Leads: 1,641.2 | 925.1 |
| ERA | 3.44 | Leads: 3.02 |
| WHIP | 1.13 | Leads: 1.01 |
| K/9 | 9.46 | Leads: 10.46 |
| BB/9 | 2.02 | Leads: 1.94 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Corey Kluber outpaces Tarik Skubal 36,049 to 20,288 — a longevity gap rather than a per-season one: Corey Kluber played 13 seasons to Tarik Skubal's 6, while Tarik Skubal carries the higher per-season figure (3,381 to 2,773). PIV adjusts each season to league baselines, so it's the cleanest way to compare careers across eras.
PIV is computed through the 2025 season. The career totals on this page include 2026 to date, so PIV does not yet reflect the 2026 season.
Peak Seasons
The best single seasons each player produced, ranked by ERA among qualified workloads (120+ innings).
Corey Kluber — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Tarik Skubal — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Corey Kluber leads in wins, strikeouts, and innings pitched, while Tarik Skubal owns ERA, WHIP, and K/9. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Corey Kluber. PIV agrees: Corey Kluber grades out higher across their careers. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
How the Corey Kluber and Tarik Skubal careers compare
Corey Kluber and Tarik Skubal were active at the same time between 2020 and 2023. The table compares 271 games of Corey Kluber with 163 of Tarik Skubal across 13 and 6 PIV seasons; totals favor the longer career by default. Tarik Skubal's edges on the table are ERA (3.02 to 3.44), WHIP (1.01 to 1.13), and strikeouts per nine (10.46 to 9.46). The per-nine rows read 9.46 strikeouts and 2.02 walks for Corey Kluber, 10.46 and 1.94 for Tarik Skubal. Both had the same role: Corey Kluber was mainly a starter (260 starts in 271 games); Tarik Skubal was mainly a starter (160 starts in 163 games). Because Tarik Skubal is still playing, the totals above will keep moving through the season.
Corey Kluber vs Tarik Skubal: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Corey Kluber or Tarik Skubal?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Corey Kluber leads Tarik Skubal in 8 of the 12 scored categories.
- Who had the better ERA?
- Tarik Skubal, with 3.02 to Corey Kluber's 3.44.
- Who won more games?
- Corey Kluber, with 116 to Tarik Skubal's 66.
- Who recorded more strikeouts?
- Corey Kluber, with 1,725 to Tarik Skubal's 1,075.
- Who had the better WHIP?
- Tarik Skubal, with 1.01 to Corey Kluber's 1.13.